One of the challenges of cosmetics is to fight strongly against dandruff, often a benign condition of the scalp, but aesthetically unpleasant. This condition is characterized by the presence of dead cells or whitish scales on the scalp, in hair and on clothing, often accompanied by itching.
The origin of dandruff is related to the disturbance of one or several factors. As such, the increased production of sebum, which begins in adolescence, is an important factor although not sufficient. This sebum serves as substrate for yeast of Malassezia type, said yeast multiplying themself and producing irritating lipids disrupting the balance (homeostasis) of the scalp. Having sebum, yeast or a dry scalp is not enough to have dandruff. Individual susceptibility and external factors play an important role also. Among these are found in particular: hair treatments that are too aggressive, extreme weather conditions, poor diet, fatigue, stress or pollution.
Two types of dandruff can be distinguished. In the dry form of dandruff, scalp seems to be too dry, the amount of dandruff is often low to moderate; scales are small and isolated. Mild itching is often, although scalp is not red. This condition can evolve into a form represented by oily dandruff although the latter may appear immediately associated with an abundant production of sebum. Scales are thicker, larger and associated with each other to form fatty, wet and yellowish plaques. Thereafter the scalp has often inflammatory changes, with more or less spreading redness, irritating condition and itching.
The present invention aims in particular to provide a means for preventing or treating unsightly dandruff and signs that accompany them such an oily and shiny skin, irritation and itching.
The Apium graveolens plant, commonly called celery, is part of the family of Apiaceae or Umbelliferae family, which includes many other edible plants such as carrot and coriander. This plant is not toxic; all parts of it can be consumed as raw or cooked vegetables. The seeds are also used as spices.
Italy is the country of origin, this plant being widespread in the world, especially in Europe, Egypt, Algeria, Ethiopia, Asia and India.
Celery seeds contain about 3% of volatile oil and 15% of non-volatile vegetable oil.
An essential oil extracted from celery seeds comprises terpenes (D-limonene>60% and selinene 10-20%) and phthalides (1-4%). Among the predominant phthalides, there is the 3-n-butyl-phthalide, the sedanolide and sedanenolide (also called senkyunenolide A).
The nonvolatile part includes petroselinic, oleic, linoleic, myristic, palmitic, palmitoleic, stearic and myristoleic fatty acids.
The Apium graveolens therefore comprises potentially very many active compounds. As a medicinal plant, it is recommended for thousands of years for many properties: aphrodisiac, anthelmintic, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, carminative, diuretic, emmenagogue, laxative, sedative, stimulant and tonic. The plant can be used against asthma, bronchitis and rheumatism. The wild celery seeds are used in traditional medicine in India and other countries that have adopted the Ayurvedic traditions to heal, as a tranquilizer, antispasmodic, nerve tonic, diuretic and antirheumatic. The phthalides included in the Apium graveolens are described as active against cancer, high blood pressure and cholesterol. The world of living organisms and plants in particular represents a very important source of innovative active molecules for cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. To extract and concentrate them, there are different methods, and the composition of the obtained extract will obviously depend on the method and the operating conditions.
The extraction technique with supercritical CO2 is already widely used in the food, pharmaceutical and perfumery industries. Gaseous CO2, present in low concentrations in the air, is compressed so that it becomes liquid. It is then an excellent solvent for fat-soluble molecules. Inert, it reacts little with the extracted molecules and leaves no residue since it is evaporated at the end of process and captured to be reused.
An essential oil of celery, obtained by hydro-distillation, comprising in majority D-limonene has been proposed in cosmetics to treat pigmentation spots.